IL VOLO

The classic Italian prog genre is probably the single most rewarding moment in progressive music history. A large claim to be sure but when you look at the sheer volume of amazing work it is hard to argue. The music of this period is rich, groundbreaking in many ways, and always painstaking attention is paid to sound, arrangements, and composition. Almost every album sounds different and will be filled with surprises! We didn't have to worry about formulaic albums yet! It was a time of great discoveries and the music was warm and wondrous.

Some Italian prog can be described as "difficult" or "complex" and therefore might scare away some prog listeners who have heard stories of "harsh, operatic vocals." That may be true of some albums although we Ital-prog fans love those vocals.

In any case, Il Volo is no such animal. This is an easy to digest work for anyone. Aside from the Italian language singing, this album is more conventional prog than others in the genre. Nice melodies, laid back vocals, smooth electric guitar solos, some acoustic guitars, and less weird keyboard. The percussion and bass are hard hitting and the sound quality is outstanding on the Japanese mini-lp CD.

Unlike some of the more complex Italian albums, Il Volo may be a good starting point for newbies to the genre. If you're looking for one to try out that isn't too weird or wild, this album will deliver a solid rock experience and give you a little taste of the Italian scene. Then you can sample some of the more challenging material from the Italian Symphonic "top 20" list at this site.